Abstract

This article details the early history of efforts to make American employment law more responsive to workplace bullying, covering a period roughly from 2000 to the present day, with much of the commentary grounded in the author's personal involvement in these initiatives. It starts by examining research, education, and advocacy efforts concerning workplace bullying and its legal implications. It then explains the major provisions of the latest version of the Healthy Workplace Bill, model anti-bullying legislation drafted by this author that has been the basis of bills introduced in over a dozen states' legislatures since 2003. The article closes with an assessment of the future of legal and policy initiatives to protect workers against severe workplace bullying in the United States.

Keywords: Workplace bullying, employment law, law and psychology, comparative law